KIA records 1,089   Ghana  Card arrivals in 2022

Data compiled by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) shows that some 1,089 Ghanaians boarded flights from various countries around the world to Ghana using Ghana Card.

19 different countries

They boarded flights from 19 different countries around the world to Ghana in 2022 using Ghana Card.

21 different airlines

Per the records, 21 different airlines brought in the 1,089 Ghanaians from various destinations around the world

Breakdown of monthly arrivals

The monthly arrivals are January – 125, February – 330, March – 521, April – 36, May – 32, June – 4, July – 4, August-15, September-16, October- 3 and November 3.

January 3 and November

They boarded the flights to Ghana between January 3 and November 2022 while no one arrived at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in December 2022 using the card.

GIS desk at KIA processes Ghana Card holders

Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has a booth at KIA, which processes Ghanaian holders of the Ghana Card returning home.

426 from United Arab Emirates

Some 426 Ghanaians also flew on Emirates Airlines from United Arab Emirates (UAE) to KIA in 2022.

143 from Netherlands   

From the Netherlands, KLM carried 143 Ghanaians who boarded with Ghana Card last year

134 from Cote D’Voire

Three airlines brought in some 134 Ghana Card users from Cote D’Voire comprising Emirates- 129, Air Cote D’Voire-4 and Middle East Airlines-1.

78 from USA

From the United States of America, 78 Ghanaians made up of 35 on Delta Airlines and 43 on United Airlines arrived in Ghana with Ghana Card as their travel document.

77 from UK

British Airways carried 77 Ghanaians who boarded with Ghana Card from the United Kingdom to Ghana.

67 from Ethiopia

Ethiopia Airlines flew 67 Ghanaian travelers who used Ghana Card to board from Ethiopia to Ghana in 2022.

66 from France

According to the data, Air France carried 66 Ghanaians from France to Ghana who used Ghana Card as their traveling document.

Other countries

Other countries where Ghanaians used Ghana Card to board flights to Ghana include – Burkina Faso-17 (comprising Air Burkina-1, Air France-16), Belgium-13, (Brussels Airlines), Togo -13, (made up of 11 by ASKY , Brussels Airlines-2), Sierra Leone- 9 (ASKY Airlines-1, Kenya Airlines-8) and Nigeria-9 (Africa World Airlines-8, Rwand Air-1).

Others are Qatar -8 (Qatar Airways), Liberia-7 (Africa World Airlines-2, ASKY Airlines-2, and Kenya Airways-3), Turkey-6 (Turkish Airlines), South Africa-6 (South Africa Airlines), Egypt-6 (Egypt Air), Sao Tome and Principe-3 (Tap Air Portugal) and Morocco-1 (Royal Air Maroc),

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), in February 2022, officially  announced the Ghana Card as meeting the requirements for an international travel document, which means holders of the card, once Ghana enters into bilateral agreements with individual nations, will be able to use the Ghana Card as a travel document to those countries with electronic visas.

Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia revealed in November 2021 during a lecture at Ashesi University that processes had been completed for the Ghana Card to be recognised as an international travel document by the ICAO the global body that certifies means of international travel identification.

Until that, the Ghana Card can now be used as a travel document by all holders returning to Ghana from airports around the world.

Following this, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) sent announcement has been sent to all airports and airlines on the use of the Ghana Card as an acceptable International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) compliant Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) for Ghanaians for international travel to all Ghanaian airports.

Travellers can verify the cards at airports and with airlines to travel directly to Ghana from anywhere in the world.

Also, Ghanaians can travel to countries that enter into agreements with Ghana to permit the use of the Ghana Card to travel to their countries as has been agreed amongst Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries whose cards meet the ECOWAS Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) e-passport ICAO compliant specifications and put in the right legal regime.